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Marriner W. Merrill

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Marriner W. Merrill
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
7 October 1889(1889-10-07)– 6 February 1906(1906-02-06)
LDS ChurchApostle
7 October 1889(1889-10-07)– 6 February 1906(1906-02-06)
ReasonExcommunication ofAlbert Carrington;death ofJohn Taylorand reorganization of theFirst Presidency;death ofErastus Snow[1]
Reorganization
at end of term		George F. Richards,Orson F. Whitney,andDavid O. McKayordained[2]
Personal details
BornMarriner Wood Merrill
(1832-09-25)25 September 1832
Sackville,New Brunswick
Died6 February 1906(1906-02-06)(aged 73)
Richmond, Utah,United States
Cause of deathBright's disease
Spouse(s)8
Children43

Marriner Wood Merrill(25 September 1832 – 6 February 1906) an American pioneer and religious leader. He was a pioneering settler of theCache Valleyand a member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostlesofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(LDS Church).

Merrill was born inSackville, New Brunswick,the tenth of thirteen children born to Sarah Ann Reynolds and Nathan Merrill. The family farmed, and Merrill later wrote of "not having any opportunities of even a common school education." Merrill left Sackville and worked briefly as a cook on a fishingschoonerbased inBoston, Massachusetts,before returning on word of his father's fatal fall into atidal marshin May 1851. Merrill assisted in farm work in Sackville after his return.[6]

Merrill joined the LDS Church in April 1852. He migrated toSalt Lake City,Utah Territory,the following year in a wagon company led by William Atkinson, also of Sackville.[7]During his first winter in Utah, Merrill married Sarah Ann Atkinson, the daughter of William Atkinson. Merrill at first engaged in farm labor and made shingles.[8]The Merrills briefly relocated toSpanish Forkbefore the arrival of Johnston's Army in theUtah War.[9]

In 1860, Merrill was among the first settlers to move toRichmond, Utah,where he soon became a civic and ecclesiastical leader. In July 1861, he began eighteen years of service as abishopin the LDS Church. He became the postmaster of Richmond in 1866 and was a county selectman from 1872 to 1879. Merrill was also a member of theterritorial legislaturefor two terms.[10]

With two business partners, Merrill built agristmill.He also worked as a contractor in the construction of theUtah and Northern Railwayand as a supervisor in its operation. Merrill also operated a large farm near Richmond.[11]

Merrill was called as a member of the CacheStakepresidency in 1879. He was first a counsellor toWilliam B. Preston,then after 1884 was a counselor toCharles Ora Card.Merrill became the firstpresidentof theLogan Templein 1884 and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 7 October 1889. He served as both anapostleand temple president until his death.[12]

Like many early leaders in the LDS Church, Merrill practicedplural marriage.He married his second wife, Cyrene Standley, on 5 June 1856, and married Maria Loenza Kingsbury, granddaughter of notedMormon pioneerStillman Pondand mother of future ApostleJoseph F. Merrill,in 1867. Marriner eventually married eight wives and had 46 children.[13]During the time of the polygamy raids inUtah Territory,Merrill lived in his bedroom on the second floor in the west tower of the Logan Temple; for weeks at a time, he would not leave the temple. He was arrested for unlawful cohabitation on 10 January 1889, but was released within two days without being convicted.[14]

Merrill married his eighth wife, Swedish immigrant Hilda Maria Erickson, after the1890 Manifestoannounced the discontinuation of plural marriage. He is alleged also to have advocated for and performed post-Manifesto plural marriages.[15][16]Merrill was summoned twice as a witness before the United States Congress during theSmoot investigation,but declined, citing poor health. He received the last subpoena just days before his death.[17]Later, Merrill's son Charles gave testimony before the Congressional hearing.[18][19]

On 6 February 1906, Merrill died in his home in Richmond fromBright's disease.[20]He is buried in Richmond.

At a family reunion in 1935, his descendants numbered 797, of which 291 were grandchildren, 429 great-grandchildren and 31 great-great grandchildren.[citation needed]Many of his descendants still live in the Cache Valley.

Notes

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  1. ^Merrill,Anthon H. Lund,andAbraham H. Cannonwere called as apostles at the same time to fill three vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
  2. ^Three new apostles were called to fill three vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve occasioned by Merrill's death and the resignations ofJohn W. TaylorandMatthias F. Cowleyfrom the Quorum.
  3. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937),Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family,pp. 62–66
  4. ^Alexander, Thomas G. (1986),Mormonism in Transition,Urbana: University of Illinois Press, p. 12
  5. ^Flake, Kathleen (2004),The Politics of American Religious Identity: The Seating of Senator Reed Smoot, Mormon Apostle,Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, p. 71
  6. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.pp.25–28.
  7. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.p.29.
  8. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.p.34.
  9. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.pp.50–51.
  10. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.pp.62–66.
  11. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.pp.63–65.
  12. ^He was also the first member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles born outside the USA and Europe.[citation needed]
  13. ^Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family
  14. ^Merrill, Melvin Clarence (1937).Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family.p.104.
  15. ^Alexander, Thomas G. (1986).Mormonism in Transition.Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 12.
  16. ^Flake, Kathleen (2004).The Politics of American Religious Identity: The Seating of Senator Reed Smoot, Mormon Apostle.Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. p. 71.
  17. ^"Mormon Apostle Dead.; Leaves Seven Wives and 46 Children – Was Wanted as a Witness.",The New York Times,8 February 1906.
  18. ^"Reed Smoot Hearings: Day 6 - Testimony of Charles E. Merrill"
  19. ^Flake, Kathleen (2004).The Politics of American Religious Identity: The Seating of Senator Reed Smoot, Mormon Apostle.Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. p. 73.
  20. ^State of Utah Death CertificateArchived2011-07-18 at theWayback Machine.
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Religious titles
Preceded by Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 7, 1889 – February 6, 1906 		Succeeded by
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